The Civil War—Week 2 Notes Battle of Antietam 1. On September 17, 1862, the Confederate and Union armies met for battle along Antietam Creek in Maryland. 2. The Union suffered more than 12,000 casualties (deaths). 3. The Confederates suffered more than 13,000 casualties. 4. This was the bloodiest one-day battle of the Civil War—and of U.S. history. 5. The Union won this battle. **Points to Remember About the Battle of Antietam: 1. The Union won this battle. 2. The Battle of Antietam gave Lincoln the victory he needed to take a very bold step toward ending slavery; he issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. The Emancipation Proclamation 1. The Emancipation Proclamation was a military order to free all Confederate slaves. 2. It freed slaves only in areas controlled by the Confederacy, but had little effect in the South because Lincoln did not control the Confederacy. 3. It was mainly symbolic because it showed that the Union was now fighting against slavery! The Battle of Gettysburg 1. Confederate soldiers, looking for boots and supplies, raided the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1863. 2. On July 1, 1863 General Lee’s troops ran into Union soldiers in Gettysburg. 3. This triggered the Battle of Gettysburg, a key 3-day battle that finally turned the tide of war against the Confederates. Battle of Gettysburg—Pickett’s Charge 1. On the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate General George Pickett marched nearly 15,000 men up a hill, called Cemetery Ridge, to attack the Union line. 2. The Confederate soldiers were showered with cannon and rifle fire from Union troops as they marched up the hill. **This event became known as Pickett’s Charge. 3. The Confederates soon retreated leaving 7,500 casualties on the battle field. 4. This was a huge defeat for the Confederates. 5. The Battle of Gettysburg was the overall bloodiest battle in the Civil War. 6. Confederate troops never launched an attack in the North again. ** Points to Remember About the Battle of Gettysburg: 1. The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the war. 2. The Union won this battle because of “Pickett’s Charge.” 3. This battle made Northerners believe that the Civil War could be won. The Gettysburg Address 1. On the battlefield a few months later, Lincoln gave a famous speech called the Gettysburg Address. 2. He praised the Union soldiers for their bravery and reminded listeners that the Union was fighting for liberty and equality. The Battle of Vicksburg (Siege of Vicksburg) 1. The city of Vicksburg, Mississippi is perched on 200-foot-high cliffs above the Mississippi River. 2. Union warships couldn’t get past the Confederate guns mounted on the high cliffs of Vicksburg. 3. Union General Grant decided the solution would be to “starve” the city into surrender. 4. The Siege of Vicksburg began in May 1863, cutting off all supplies into the city and bombing it repeatedly. 5. Citizens of Vicksburg survived by eating horses, dogs, and rats as their supplies ran out. 6. After six weeks of constant bombardment , the Confederates surrendered on July 4th, 1863. **Points to Remember About the Battle of Vicksburg: 1. Capturing Vicksburg was a big victory for the Union. 2. The Union army now controlled the Mississippi River, which was an important supply line for Confederates. 3. Capturing Vicksburg split the Confederacy in two. .